USS Bonita SS-165

The USS Bonita SS-165 was the third ship to be named after the fish. The first was a submarine in use during World War I. The second was a motorboat used in 1917 and 1918. SS-165 was a Barracuda-class submarine initially named V-3. She was built by the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine and was launched on June 9, 1925.

Her engines were a combination of diesel and electric and could reach surface speeds of up to 21 knots. When she was submerged, she could travel at about nine knots. She was over 341 foot long and 27 foot wide at the beam. Her crew consisted of seven officers, 11 petty officers and about 69 enlisted men. She boasted six torpedo tubes, four in the front and two in the rear. If she were forced to fight on the surface, she had one five-inch 51 caliber deck gun.

As the V-3, she was assigned to serve with Submarine Division 20. She spent the first year or so of her service cruising up and down the eastern American coast and into Caribbean waters. In December of 1927, she was transferred to the west coast and arrived in San Diego on the seventeenth of that month. She continued to cruise along the Pacific coast and out to Hawaii. On March 9, 1931, she was renamed the Bonita and given the hull designation of SS-165.

In September of 1933, she joined Submarine Division 12 and for the next three years, continued on cruises along the west coast and through both Hawaiian and Caribbean waters. She was finally placed on reserve in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on June 4, 1937.

With the start of World War II, she was pulled out of the reserve fleet and returned to active duty. In September of 1940, she was recommissioned and stationed in Panama. Until October of 1942, she protected the western coast of Central America. She returned for an overhaul toward the end of 1942. Once the work was complete, she was assigned duty as a special cargo carrying submarine.

While the Bonita never saw enemy action, the sailors that worked aboard her were still at risk. Asbestos was extensively used throughout the sub and exposure to the substance could lead to the development of asbestosis or mesothelioma. If you have questions about these illnesses or have already been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, please fill out the request form on this page to receive a free informational packet.

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